Chapter 4: Growth and mental energy Ethan went to bed peacefully. After all, he wasn’t the kind of protagonist who needed to grind day and night to grow powerful. All he needed—was time. The next morning, Ethan checked his status: > [Master: Ethan Hunt Physique: 0.4 Spirit: 0.4] As expected of his mighty system, his attributes had doubled once again. He now possessed 400 kg of force in both body and spirit. A surge of vitality coursed through him—he felt lighter, sharper, and more alive than ever. After freshening up, he walked out to see breakfast already laid on the table. A note rested beside the plate. It was from his mother: > "Honey, we need to go to the office. You eat before going to school, okay? Love you." Reading the simple note, warmth bloomed inside his chest. This kind of simple care—this motherly affection—was something Ethan had never known before. And it hit him harder than he expected. Smiling softly, he sat down and enjoyed a hearty meal before heading to school. Inside Class 10— Ryan was grumbling about his insomnia, as usual. He’d gone to sleep late again and now spent the entire day feeling like a walking corpse. Suddenly, he looked at Ethan with squinted eyes. "Hey, Ethan, you look different. What happened, man? Got yourself a little wife or something? Wait—did little Miss Rose finally agree to bear your child, huh?" he teased with a perverted grin. Ethan rolled his eyes and smacked Ryan on the head. "I wish that were true," he said, half-laughing. Ryan rubbed the back of his head, still smiling like a fool. "No, seriously, bro—you look healthier. Fresher. What gives?" Ethan thought for a moment, then replied, "I’ve been doing some martial arts training lately. Maybe that’s why?" His voice was thoughtful, like even he wasn’t quite sure. Ryan’s eyes widened. "Martial arts training? Seriously? Didn’t we promise to be slick-pants young masters forever? Why the hell would you start training now? Trying to get into Aurora Martial University to impress your little crush?" Ethan didn’t argue. He just chuckled and said, "Yeah... something like that." Ryan grinned and clapped him on the back. "Then I’ll just have to stick to your thick thigh in the future, oh future martial prodigy!" Before the banter could continue, Teacher Arnold walked into the classroom. "Attention, everyone. We have an announcement today," he said, scanning the room. "Previously, I told you the Quasi-Warrior Certification Test would be held on July 15th. However, due to some urgent circumstances, the date has been moved forward. The test will now take place on July 7th. Be ready." The classroom erupted in gasps. Some were excited. Others panicked—they didn’t have enough time to prepare or build up their strength. Ryan groaned, "Damn it, my old man was nagging me to join a gym yesterday,I was even planning to visit a gym. But now do I have enough time even if I wanted to?" Ethan, on the other hand, remained calm. He wasn’t too surprised. At his current pace, he would surpass the required threshold by tomorrow—and still have four days to spare. After class, Ethan and Ryan went to grab lunch together in the canteen. While waiting in line, someone suddenly shoved Ethan from behind, trying to cut in front of him. Without thinking, Ethan grabbed the person’s wrist and twisted it behind their back in one smooth, instinctive motion. A squeal pierced the air. "Aaah! Let go! Let gooo!" It was Mark—a minor school tyrant. Hailing from a wealthy family, Mark’s grandfather was none other than the renowned martial master, Eric Silva. Ethan didn’t care about any of that. He was simply returning the favor for being shoved. Mark struggled and yelled, "You idiot! Do you know who I am?! I’m Mark Silva—grandson of Eric Silva himself!" Ethan smirked:. "Huh. Good for you. I just go by Ethan." The students nearby burst into laughter. Mark turned beet red from the humiliation. Wherever he went, people scrambled to curry favor with him. But this guy—this Ethan—didn’t play by the rules. "You’ll regret this!" Mark snarled. "I’ll make you regret ever touching me!" But before things could escalate, a calm, commanding voice rang out. "That’s enough, Mark." It was Rose—the class president. Beautiful, composed, and universally respected. Despite not coming from a well-off family, her charisma gave her a status no wealth could buy. "You tried to cut in line and now you’re openly threatening someone? Maybe I should report this to the principal," she said sternly. Mark’s bravado evaporated. He paled and backed down. Not only did he fear the principal, but he also had a huge crush on Rose. Gritting his teeth, he stomped away without another word. Ethan watched him go, eyes narrowing. That look in Mark’s eyes... it was dangerous. He might become a thorn in Ethan’s side. Maybe, Ethan mused, it would be better to remove him altogether. He turned to Rose and gave a sincere smile. "Thanks for stepping in." Rose returned the smile. "You’re pretty impressive, Ethan. I didn’t know you had it in you. You stopped Mark’s hand without even looking. Looks like you’ve been training hard in martial arts." Ethan scratched the back of his head sheepishly. He hadn’t trained in any martial arts at all—it had been pure reflex, born from the rise in his spirit power. Back at the table, Ryan was already back to teasing. "Man, you’re on a roll! Even our future sister-in-law praised you. Good for you, bro~" Ethan smacked his head again, grinning as he sat down. Getting recognition from his crush... it felt pretty damn good. When Ethan got home that evening, his parents were still out. 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦 He lay on his bed, thinking back on the day’s events. He had humiliated Mark—someone who, in typical novels, would stop at nothing for revenge, even if it meant destroying entire families. Ethan decided to keep a close eye on him. If Mark did anything reckless... He’d kill him. Without hesitation. Four days passed in the blink of an eye. July 7th. Ethan stood in the school courtyard along with the other students. Today, they were going to the Martial Association’s branch to get their Quasi-Warrior Certificates. He opened his system panel: > [Master: Ethan Hunt Physique: 6.4 Spirit: 6.4] In just four days, both his attributes had reached 6.4—a total increase of sixteen times. And more than that, he had broken through the iron rule: no one was supposed to exceed 1000 kg of force before unlocking their gene lock. Now, Ethan had over six tons of force coursing through both body and spirit. And something else had awakened—mental energy just after his spirit had crossed the 1 point mark. He could now move objects from afar using sheer will. At 6 point, he could control up to 6 tons in total, but only up to six individual objects at a time. Even if the total mass was within limits, he couldn’t manipulate more than six things at once. Still, Ethan wasn’t worried. He’d figure things out as he went. His eyes swept across the courtyard and landed on Mark. Strangely, Mark hadn’t made a move over the past four days. That surprised Ethan—but he didn’t dwell on it. Mark, however, was seething with venomous rage. He had gone to his father about Ethan, but was told to hold back until after the certification. Once he had that certificate in hand... Ethan would be nothing more than a bug to squash. Mark had also taken a body-strengthening fluid. His current strength had surpassed 700 kg. He was confident he’d pass with flying colors. He glared at Ethan and muttered under his breath, "Just wait. After today, I’ll show you what hell really means." --- Teacher Arnold stepped forward, gave a short motivational speech, and ushered the students onto the bus. Ethan couldn’t help but feel excited. He had a strange feeling. Today... he might awaken a talent. Let’s see what the future holds.